Non Technical Computer Store Owner Possible?

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Asking this group what chance you think that a good business person that has loads of experience in the tech field, but is not a practicing technician has of running a successful retail computer store?

In other words, can a non technician own a computer store, selling new and used computers, laptops and offer service, making a decent living?

Possible, not possible, or possible under only certain conditions...
 
A better chance then the other way around, assuming that the person has employees doing the technical stuff. Do all record company CEO know how to sing?
 
Certainly doable. A good manager can just manage and delegate work to the techs. Just don't be a dick manager.. take active roles when you can and stay involved with things. This has always been the problem with my past managers when I was working for someone else... Never see 'em until there is something to bitch about... just don't be that guy lol.
 
Managing/sales and fixing are indeed two different things; even one super-competent tech can handle multiple repairs concurrently if properly organized. (Repairs could even be subcontracted with say two or 3 super competent part timers and coordinated drop off/pickups....)

However, I don't see how anyone can even sell computers these days and hope to compete against Dell and Best Buy....
 
Thedog said:
A better chance then the other way around, assuming that the person has employees doing the technical stuff. Do all record company CEO know how to sing?
Click to expand...

This ^^^

From the Big Book of Better Business "... the resources available to a manager are manpower and materiel" ... Staff & Stuff
 
Yes, absolutely. I started my company almost 2 years ago, I have limited technical knowledge and no background in technology. My husband had always wanted to start a business, hes got lots of experience and is a great tech but hes not a manager/owner type. I run the business hes a tech. You dont need to know a lot about IT to run a business and some of the best techs I know would completely fail as business owners. Running a successful IT business is as much about operations, sales/marketing and managing as it is about IT. I will say though, having my husband as the tech (especially in the beginning) had great benifits over having to hire some one as some weeks I let him know his position was a volunteer position not a paid :). Running a business is a different set of skills and knowledge then being a tech.
 
Running a business the right way often has little to do being skilled in the
areas that the business deals in. It's more important that you have a leader
who is accountable, who will run the business correctly and will make smart
decisions that will lead the business to success.

It's less important if the owner is an expert in PC repair. Plenty of expert
level PC repair tech's have zero clue of how to run a business.
 
MDD1963 said:
However, I don't see how anyone can even sell computers these days and hope to compete against Dell and Best Buy....
Click to expand...
But new OEM machines are just crap boxes. You can't compete on price because there's no way to get crappier than what OEMs sell. Instead compete on quality. A high quality custom build and/or refurb is much better than the $500 crap box sold at Best Buy and will last a lot longer. It's not a hard sell either. When someone brings in a 2 year old crap box, offer them something better as alternative to repair. I got a 10th gen i5 Dell crap box in today. The thing was only $500 but it only lasted a year before the hard drive died. I built them a new system for $1,000 with a trade in. Then I'll throw an SSD in the crap box and sell it to someone who isn't willing to spend $1,000. At least with a Samsung SSD the thing will last longer than it did with the crappy hard drive.
 
The key goal is to have a talented tech and talented business manager who can be like two part epoxy and make the whole thing come together.

However like all epoxies if you get the ratio wrong, it all falls apart. So you have to set clear boundary, especially when problems arise.The tech has to be willing to give up and the manager has to be willing to invest in a problem. Otherwise you fight each other when there are problems.

If you are hiring, make sure you have company policy set before you hire, so your staff know what's expected of them. It won't stop problems from happening but it makes the explanation easier and if things go bad, you are on better ground when staff knew from the get go what was expected and just didn't do it.
 
For a manager/owner to be successful, they just need to hire the correct people to run their business.
If this applies of course.
Tough to do with a very small business.
 
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